h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One interesting thing about Bach is that he (and most of the family) always hide a really odd sequence of notes somewhere - B flat, A, C, B. In German, the "B" in music is called "H", and a B is only a B flat, so he was signing his name.

He's *supposed* to look silly, as he's a comedian, of a specialized sort. His schtick is based on the idea that even in a family as illustrious as the Bachs, there was always a black sheep. In real life, one of Bach's six sons was mildly retarded, but PDQ is not based on him.

The titles of some of his compositions should give a hint of what to expect:

Iphigenia in Brooklyn [a cantata]

The seasonings [an oratorio that satirizes Haydn's "The Seasons," with songs like "Bide thy thyme," "I'm Cumin," and a "By the leeks of Babylon," set to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," and puncuated by sobs]

Rondo a la Turkey Lurky

The Abduction of Figaro [an opera]

"PDQ's plagiarism was limited only by his faulty technique," Schickele would say in a deadpan voice.

Doesn't cut it for me.

If you are going to parody one of the greatest geneius of all time...I think you need a bit more

schadenfreude

(He looks like a twerp).

Mmmm, I don't think the word "Schadenfreude" means what you think it does. (Insert obligatory "Princess Bride" joke here.)

We took it from you Germans so wiki says...I love the music of it anyway.

"you Germans" being in no way comparable to "London folk", of course...

B

No. It was said in banter...friendly...in context. Big sorries.

(Christ no wonder anhaga hates this place as much as me.)

You took it, perhaps, but you obviously forgot to take the manual, because you don't know how to use it. (German words are generally long enough to require a user's manual.)

I love musicality of words and learning...I learnt that in French Guiana from the Bonni who spoke taki taki...

It was all a lot of laughing with them though as I was always saying 'sarni' (song).

I have no idea what you meant with 'Schadenfreude' in this context.

Oh forget I ever said it...(it's one of my favourite words...I love its music)

Lets move on.

Well, as an explaination for all who don't know it: Schadenfreude means being happy about something bad that happens to somebody else.

Yes but it has been subsumed into English...and we do irony...

Can't you let it go as a bit of playfulness in context?

Sorry Effers, I grew up in a family of teachers, I can hardly resist the urge to correct people.

One of my favourite parodies of Shakespeare is Mitch Benn's Macbeth Rap.

In fact I think it says something clever at the level of context and culture: I've thought for years that there's a PhD for someone comparing the cultures of violence and brotherhood in Viking Sagas, Rap and Hip Hop.

I'll do a search and find a link later.

B

Make that heroism, violence and brotherhood...

I must confess I've never read Shakespeare.

My totally brilliant English teacher, Miss Gray at school might love you.

We spent time talking about sex and violence ...and she let us chant stuff from books spontaneously.

Don't worry about that Tav, I find him unreadable! Watching him is much easier, because the action carries you along.

She sounds like the best sort of inspiring teacher, Effers.